Vegas Shooting: Why It Takes So Long To Identify The Guns Used

We're all asking the same questions: Why did Stephen Paddock, the Las Vegas shooter, target a music festival? How did he get his guns?

Let's answer as many questions as we can. Right now, the “why” is still a mystery. But 2WTK we can verify the number of guns found in the hotel room is at least 23. The sheriff's department found another 19 firearms and explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition in Paddock's home.

Authorities haven't detailed the type of weapons used in the shooting but we know at least some of the guns Paddock had were purchased legally. A gun store owner in Nevada confirmed Paddock passed every federal background check every time he bought a gun from the store.

But here's the rub, sheriff's investigators can't just type in Paddock's name and get a list of all the guns he owns. First, no list like that exists. That's right, gun tracking systems in the US is a mix of paper, computer and even microfilm in some cases.

And second, the ATF is the only agency with the authority to request the records from a gun seller. And that in itself is a process. The ATF contacts the gun manufacturer. The manufacturer then uses the serial number to track which gun shop had the gun in stock. Then the gun shop is contacted to get the bill of sale.